May 31st

Musical birthdays today include Peter Yarrow (83), former Marmalade lead guitarist Junior Campbell (74), Kraftwerk drummer Fritz Hilpert (65), session keyboardist & Bonnie Tyler sideman John Young (65), Corey Hart (58), Run-D.M.C. rapper Darryl McDaniels (57), operatic soprano Diana Damrau (50), jazz bassist Christian McBride (49), former Reel Big Fish multi-instrumentalist Scott Klopfenstein (44), Fall Out Boy drummer Andy Hurley (41), and ex-Animals as Leaders drummer Navene Koperweis (35). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for English music hall pianist songwriter Billy Mayerl, born on this day in 1902... for country singer Johnny Paycheck [né Donald Lytle], who would have been 83 today... for John Bonham, who would have been 73... for underground singer-songwriter Wesley Willis, who would have been 58... for Joseph Haydn, who died on this date in 1809... for pianist, songwriter and Duke Ellington collaborator Billy Strayhorn, who died in 1967... for soul singer Johnnie Taylor, who passed away in 2000... and for Argentine singer-songwriter and bandoneón player Rubén Juárez, who left us in 2010. 

Also on May 31st: Violin prodigy Nicolò Paganini makes his concert debut in Genoa at the age of 11 (1794)... Columbia releases what is often considered the first true jazz record, 'Darktown Strutters' Ball' by The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, as a 78 RPM, catalog № A-2297 (1917)... In Nashville, Johnny Cash makes his Grand Ole Opry debut (1958)... Dick Dale and the Del-Tones record 'Let's Go Trippin'', often regarded as the first surf rock instrumental (1961)... Filming begins for the first season of The Monkees' TV series (1966)... With Yoko sitting in at Studio 1, Abbey Road for the first time, The Beatles continue to work on 'Revolution', adding the vocal tracks. After numerous overdubs, the final six minutes of the song evolve into chaotic jamming, with Lennon repeatedly shouting "alright" and Yoko speaking random phrases. The jam becomes the basis for ‘Revolution 9’ (1968)... The Who give themselves a place in the Guinness Book of Records for the loudest performance of a rock band, as they reach 120 decibels during a gig at the Charlton Athletic football grounds in Greenwich, London (1973)... The BBC announce a formal ban on the new Sex Pistols single 'God Save The Queen', declaring it 'in gross bad taste'. The IBA [Independent Broadcasting Authority] simultaneously issues a warning to all radio stations saying that playing the single will constitute a breach of Section 4:1:A of the Broadcasting act (1977)... Lipps, Inc. have the № 1 single in the US and seven European countries with 'Funky Town' (1980)... R.E.M. sign their first recording contract,  a 5-album deal with IRS Records (1982)... Sire Records release Talking Heads' album Speaking in Tongues (1983)... David Bowie's Tin Machine make their live debut at the International Music Awards in NYC (1989)... Geri Halliwell announces that she has quit The Spice Girls, saying "This is because of differences between us. I am sure the group will continue to be successful and I wish them all the best" (1998)... UK police announce that thousands of people at this year's rock festivals will be subjected to a computerised drug test. Fans will be asked to provide swab samples from their hands, which would be inserted into a machine for analysis. It is to be a voluntary test, but Anti-drug officers can search anyone refusing (2003)... Death Cab for Cutie go to № 1 on the US album chart with Narrow Stairs (2008).